Protein powder
I recall the [tag]NT book[/tag] mentioning to avoid protein powder because it’sbasically evaporated (pasteurized) milk protein. I was wondering ifanyone uses here, and if so: why? I’m especially interested if thosewho lift weights use protein powder. I assume people here’d be usingwhey protein, and not soy.
May 12th, 2007 at 4:55 am
I’ve been using goatein from Garden of Life (www.gardenoflifeusa.com). It’sexpensive compared to most whey proteins, but seems to be less processed.
They claim, for instance,”Goatein is minimally processedMost other milk protein powders are made from cow’s milk and, though theyclaim to be minimally processed, use several invasive processing steps,including heating at high temperatures. These methods denature manyimportant amino acids and DESTROY enzymes and beneficial bacteria. Researchsuggests that processing whey with heat and acid (i.e. ion-exchange) resultsin the loss ofseveral key amino acids including: Cysteine 73-77%, Threonine 35-45%, Serine18-30%, and Lysine19-20%. Because Goatein is processed without the use of acid or excessiveheat, the amino acids, enzymes and beneficial bacteria remain in theirnatural form.”
They also say,”Additionally, Goatein is partially pre-digested through a lactic acidfermentation process to make it even more bio-available while virtuallyeliminating its lactose content. Research has shown that proteins from milkthat have been pre-digested by lacto-fermentation are absorbed moreefficiently than those of non-fermented milk. During the fermentationprocess many digestive enzymes are created that aid in the assimilation offood nutrients. In THE MILK BOOK, William Campbell Douglass, M.D., statesthat the protein contained in cultured (lacto-fermented) dairy products isthe highest quality available for human consumption.”
You can read about it more on their site.
I’ve been using protein powder a lot less recently, and getting more proteinfrom meat, eggs, and cheese, but I feel safer using this protein powder thanthe whey powders I had been using…until someone here disabuses me of thatnotion
May 13th, 2007 at 4:48 am
Supposedly protein powders contain neurotoxins (MSG or similar compounds)made in the processing; however, I haven’t looked into this, and am skeptical ofthe anti-glutamine/glutamate positions.
The main reason Sally opposes protein powders is because they increase theamount of protein one eats without increasing the vitamin A, which is necessaryfor protein utilization. Incidentally, Jordan Rubin, who markets Goat-tein,thinks the same thing, but sells Goat-tein because it is vastly superior to theother powders which people will use anyway.
However, if you have lots of A in your diet, this shouldn’t be something toworry about– and sometimes you want low-fat for a particular snack or meal,such as a post-workout recovery snack, as Suze recently posted. So taking alow-temp dehydrated undenatured whey powder like Goat-tein would essentially belike drinking whey, except Goat-tein also has curd protein.
I don’t really think you should need protein powders if you aren’t eatingcrap food, but in small amounts a quality one (which excludes most of them)probably couldn’t hurt. Eating full-fat meats can make it tough to get all yourprotein without getting too full, but supplementing this with some whey and bonestock should allow more protein without as much satiety, especially if thisis used to replace water, say, in your undereating phase, were you to do theWD.
But quantity of protein isn’t that important. The full-fat meat willincrease your androgen levels, which will do a HELL of a lot more for buildingmusclethan protein will.